This invention relates generally to warming or toasting trays and racks for hot dog buns and other elongated hinged sandwich buns, and more particularly to a bun toasting and warming apparatus arranged to hold one or more buns in an open condition over a source of heat for toasting the interior surface portions of one or more empty buns without weakening or damaging the hinge structure of the bun.
Currently, in order for one to toast the inside surfaces of a hot dog bun, sausage bun, submarine sandwich bun, or other elongated hinged bun, the bun must be spread open so as to be able to lay the bun flat onto a grill, baking sheet or other hot surface. The toasting of the interior surfaces of the bun desirably changes and enhances the taste and texture of the resulting bun.
However, when opening the bun sufficiently fully to permit adequate toasting and warming of the inside surfaces of the bun, most times the hinge structure of the bun is either broken, torn or weakened to a point where it cannot support placement of the wiener, sausage, other ingredients, condiments and fillings in the bun. This destruction of the hinge structure often results in the inserted contents ultimately falling out thru the hinge side of the bun before or during eating.
Given the resulting problems of toasting hot dog and other elongate bakery buns, a less desirable bun is often provided, one that is either cold or warmed merely on the outside. Therefore, it is apparent that a need exists for a simple, reliable and effective bun toasting and warming apparatus that may be made available to both the individual user and the commercial service industry to provide a more desirable sandwich product for the consumer.